A Mirrored Surface

I dropped down from the cedar fence and navigated the damp lawn toward the stone birdbath beneath the maple branches. Leaping onto the broad pedestal base, I scaled the rough fluted column until my paws gripped the carved rim. The shallow basin was filled with clear, still rainwater. Across the surface, a pale yellow maple leaf drifted without a sound. I lowered my head carefully, catching the sharp reflection of my crimson eyes and the gold rings on my ears against the pale gray sky. When I tapped the water with one cautious claw, concentric ripples distorted the image, breaking the quiet stillness before settling back into clarity.